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Ratchford Family History

Ratchford Name Meaning

English:: habitational name from Rochford (Worcestershire) from Old English ræcc ‘hunting dog’ (genitive ræcces) + ford ‘ford’. habitational name from Rochford (Essex). Early forms of the name ending in Ro- suggest that the placename derives from Old English hrōc ‘rook’ or the Old English personal name Hrōc(a) + Old English ford ‘ford’ but the 13th century forms in Ra- and Re- suggest that the first element is Old English ræcc ‘hunting dog’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Rotchford, Wratchford, Rachford, Latchford, Litchford, Rockford

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ratchford family from?

You can see how Ratchford families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ratchford family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ratchford families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 48 Ratchford families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 59% of all the recorded Ratchford's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Ratchford families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ratchford surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Ratchford ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Clerk and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Ratchford. 27% of Ratchford men worked as a Clerk and 67% of Ratchford women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ratchford were Student and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Ratchford | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Clerk
    27%
  • Farmer
    20%
  • Engineer
    14%
  • Student
    14%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Stenographer
    67%
  • Housekeeper
    34%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ratchford family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 11,000 census records available for the last name Ratchford. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ratchford census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Ratchford

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ratchford. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ratchford immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Ratchford. For the veterans among your Ratchford ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ratchford military records

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What is the average Ratchford lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Ratchford life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Ratchford in 1947 was 56, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ratchford

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